


Must Love Minibots

by NonbinaryHylian (chicagoartnerd)



Category: The Transformers (IDW Generation One), Transformers - All Media Types
Genre: Blind Date, Face-Sitting, M/M, Matchmaking, Post-Transformers: Lost Light 25, Romantic Comedy, Sticky Sexual Interfacing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-28
Updated: 2019-03-30
Packaged: 2019-12-25 14:28:45
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 10,455
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18263216
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chicagoartnerd/pseuds/NonbinaryHylian
Summary: Swerve is lonely. He's pretty sure nobody's noticed until Misfire and Grimlock roll up to the bar with a special "surprise." A series of blind dates ensue and end surprisingly successfully.





	1. Swerve's Big Surprise

**Author's Note:**

  * For [UltraSwagnus](https://archiveofourown.org/users/UltraSwagnus/gifts).



> This fic is inspired by @ ultraswagnus on Twitter and their love of all Swerve. Yes welcome to rarepair crack fic hell as this is the only fic on the archive that is Swerve/Spinister. >:D

They were in a whole new universe now and so far hadn’t come across anything remotely familiar. Which in a way was comforting, all they had in this world was each other. It was causing a lot of bots on board _The Lost Light_ to pair up, as it were.

Annnnnd it was the same as the old universe no one wanted to pair up with him. Swerve was used it to it by now, always the bridesmaid never the bride as the humans would say. But that didn’t mean that going home to an empty habsuite at the end of the sixth shift after manning the bar for four full work duty shifts still didn’t sting a little. It had always stung but the fact that it was still the same even after everyone’s “fresh start” kinda sucked.

Of course it didn’t help that they had been pooling all the earth media and other planetary art everyone had saved on board because in this new universe they had no way to get more. And Swerve had been binging romcoms. They weren’t going to get any more Netflix original movies in this reality. Unless of course the bots on board made them. Rewind had teamed up with several mechs to make some short movies, and in the case of Whirl, an arthouse style looping gif of him shooting the letter “R” off of the engine room sign. Swerve figured he could probably come up with a pretty good version of _Cheers_ or some other sitcom if he put his mind to it but right now his thoughts were a little preoccupied.

Wanting to fall in love and being in love were two different things but in Swerve’s case they both involved a lot of pining. He’d had crushes before, okay maybe they were more like obsessions, but he’d never really been courted by anyone. It was just kind of hard watching everyone around him fall in love and find happiness, not even just as conjunx but as amica as well. His half empty habsuite a glaring reminder that he didn’t even have a friend who wanted to spend that much time with him. Well almost.

 

He’d been spending a lot of his off time, and time at the bar, with Misfire and the rest of the Scavengers. Misfire understood all his jokes and references, he even liked puns! Swerve had been trying to contain the level of punnery he was capable of since joining the ship years ago and yet Misfire wanted to engage in pun-offs with him. He was pretty sure all the rest of the Scavengers were just tolerating him, well except maybe Grimlock. He was Misfire’s conjunx and had to at least be polite to Swerve while he was hanging with Misfire. Well the Grimlock version of politely well behaved which was not actively eating the minibot. And he had been invited to the Scavenger’s movie night which had consisted of a lot of bro-y action flicks. Swerve might have snuck in Madmax: Fury Road for some feminine power and nobody had complained, in fact Spinister had actually said he liked it which was gratifying for him as Spinister hardly liked anything at all. He was trying to think of the perfect movie to bridge the gap between his love of women led dramedies and super masculine actions movies. Maybe _Jupiter Ascending_?

He was still fretting over it at work the next shift cycle when Grimlock and Misfire approached him at the bar. They were both smiling suspiciously at him, well at least he thought Grimlock was as he was wearing his battle mask.

Misfire laid his hands on the smooth white bar surface and grinned widely. “Hey Swervers! Just the minibot we were looking for! We have a little bit of a surprise for you. But you have to promise you won’t freak out first before we show you.”

That was a worrying way to start a conversation, especially since it was two of the Scavengers saying it. But he had to admit he was touched and excited that Misfire and Grimlock would even think to get him something at all.

He cleaned an energon glass absently trying to keep his tone light and casual. “Okaaayyy. Well as long as it doesn’t involve my chest covered in earth honey and bucket full of baby scraplets, that was the last ‘surprise’ I got at the academy and let me tell you that was one hell of a way to start finals week.”

Both Grimlock and Misfire looked at each other quickly and then Misfire replied through a strained smile. “No, no, nothing quite so...life threatening. Although we’re going to have to remember that one for the next time Krok tries to make us do a shipwide deep-clean. Here.”

At the last word he passed Swerve a datapad. It appeared to have a new issue of _The Lost Light Insider_ on it. Swerve mumbled. “Oh I didn’t know someone was still making this, I thought it was like the mutineers smear rag.”

Misfire waved airily. “Oh yeah well you know how we’re having a bit of a creative renaissance on board it seems like some folks wanted to engage in the highly dubious pursuit of journalism. I’m pretty sure Krok is an editor there but he won’t admit it every time I try to corner him. But yeah your surprise is on page eight!”

Swerve nodded and dutifully swiped to page eight. His optics froze on the title “Personals.” He scanned down quickly until they landed a listing in a decently long list of personal ads.

**_Local Businessbot Looking for Love?_ **

**_Hello,_ **

**_I’m a handsome entrepreneur looking for a partner in life, not just in business!_**

**_More about me: Loves good music, earth dramas/comedies, new brews of high grade, and puns._ **

**_What I’m looking for: Someone with a great sense of humor, enjoys a good drink, and a fondness for long talks late into the night._ **

**_Must Love Minibots!_ **

 

Below the ad was a date, time, and geotag for a booth in his bar. It was for fifteen minutes from now. Swerve put down the datapad and groaned while placing his head in his hands.

Misfire and Grimlock both looked alarmed before his head jerked up and he was grinning at them nervously. “This is so sweet guys, really it is, you made me sound like such a catch. But ugh I need to man the bar. I can’t just take an hours long break out of my day to go on a bunch of speed dates with mysterious strangers or whatever.”

Misfire elbowed Grimlock in the side triumphantly and beamed at Swerve. “We all put our heads together to figure out how best to describe you, it was Fulcrum who came up with that snappy opening line! And we’ve got the bar covered don’t worry we’ve watched you pour drinks a thousand times! Your ad got three responses so we staggered them and told them to come at fifteen minute intervals. If you want more time with someone you can both set up a later date.”

Swerve still wasn’t quite convinced until Grimlock chimed in in his surprisingly deep baritone. “Before the war I used to host dinner parties, I know how to pour a proper drink. Please don’t worry and go have fun.”

Misfire was looking at Grim with a sense of wonder on his face and Swerve was trying to use all his fingers to count how many words that had been because he was pretty sure that was the most he’d ever heard Grimlock say aloud. He gave up on his fingers and ex-vented loudly before caving. “Alright since you both went to all this trouble to set this up for little old me how can I refuse. But if it starts to crash and burn you have to promise to bail me out, like call me over to help at the bar or something. I babble when things get awkward and I’m nervous, you’ll notice.”

 Misfire squinted at him as he and Grimlock walked around the bar to get behind the counter. “Swerve you babble like 99% of the time.”

Swerve swallowed hard and started to walk over to the booth in farthest corner of the bar as he called back at them. “See you can tell! Also if you really do have a problem with the high grade tanks or anything do not hesitate to call me over even if it looks like the date is going really well.”

Misfire threw him a two handed thumbs up and Grimlock nodded slowly as Swerve sat down heavily in the booth by himself. He was trying not to fidget but he was definitely jiggling his leg under the table.

Sure he had been moping about being single for several weeks now but he had never expected anyone to do anything about it. Especially putting up a personals ad for him in the revamped _Lost Light Insider._ Stuff like that didn’t happen in real life, not for him, this was just like a romcom. It made his spark jump up his throat. It also made him realize he did have friends who cared about him. Which was a wonderful revelation on its own. Even if this didn’t go well he was going to ask all the Scavengers to be his amica, even Crankcase and Nickel, who was the most physically intimidating of the bunch though she was also a minibot. Although now that he thought of it he hadn’t really seen Crankcase since his dimension hopping dire wraith boyfriend showed up on board two weeks ago.

Swerve found himself properly distracted thinking about what that couple was up to that he didn’t notice someone enter the bar until they sat down heavily in the booth across from him. Jolted out of his surprisingly lurid CrankcasexCons4eva daydream he looked up to see Riptide sitting across from him.

Before Swerve could even open his mouth to start babbling Riptide held up his hand motioning for Swerve to stop. “Okay before you say anything can I just apologize? I know I eventually made the right choice and helped everyone make it back to _The Lost Light_ after the mutiny but before that we were good friends and after that we haven’t really spoken at all.”

“It might seem silly but I saw your personal ad in the paper and thought it might be a good time to actually talk things out with you, or at least let me have time to apologize. Sorry Swerve.”

That had not been what he had been expecting but it was still actually pretty nice. No great confession of love or anything but still important. How could Swerve not forgive him? He was pretty close himself to joining the mutiny in the beginning as he had hated and distrusted Megatron just as much as Riptide and the rest of them.

He made sure to smile brightly at him while he spoke. “Riptide! While I do appreciate the apology we never stopped being friends. I’ve never asked for the keys back to _Swerve’s_ have I? Even after all that Getaway business I still trust you. I’ve just been here keeping busy, it’s you who has been avoiding the bar.”

Riptide looked down at his hands abashed and mumbled. “I was afraid you’d ask for they keys back if I showed up randomly without apologizing and it never seemed to be the right time to do it and I just, I really didn’t want to stop being friends.”

Swerve reached across the table and patted his arm reassuringly before withdrawing his hand. “I don’t want to stop being friends either so we’re cool. We’re good, come by and hangout any time! Or if you want I do movie night with the Scavengers every couple of full shift rotations or when one of us finds a really good flick in the database. Why don’t you join us?”

Riptide looked skeptical but then nodded slowly. “I don’t really know them well but they seem... fun. And I like earth movies just not anything too romantic or dramatic. I prefer action and explosions and anything with lots of boats.”

That was a point against him in the friend and possible date column in Swerve’s book. But he would get along great with the Scavengers as their tastes were almost identical, well except for the thing with boats. Swerve was suddenly very tempted to force Riptide to watch _Titanic_ by advertising it as being about a big boat and its fight with an iceberg and not a love story. But they were still renewing their friendship and he didn’t want to strain it with Kate Winslet just yet.

 So instead he nodded and rubbed his chin. “There should be some movies about boats or watercraft that aren’t a love story. How do you feel about horror movies?”

Riptide was about to answer when Swerve noticed Misfire and Grimlock waving at him from the bar out of the corner of his optics. They were both making “move it along” motions and Swerve figured his fifteen minutes were about up so he gently interrupted Riptide. “Oh hey I know we were just starting to connect again, which is great I’m super glad you came by, but uh Grim and Misfire are trying to tell me it’s time for my next ‘date.’”

Riptide’s yellow optics went wide before he agreed. “Oh! Right of course...I didn’t think I’d be the only one coming I just thought we might have had a little more time to talk. That’s alright though I’ll come by the bar later and help you close if you want me to. If not you can com me with the time and place for movie night.”

Swerve grinned and said. “Maybe not the last shift as I think Misfire and Grimlock are going to help me close but next rotation for sure. And I will totally send you the movie night deets don’t worry. I can’t wait to start hanging out with you again Riptide!”

At that Riptide beamed back at him and nodded enthusiastically. “Yeah! Me too!”

As he said that someone else entered the bar and made their way over so Swerve had to gently shoo Riptide out of his seat so the new bot could sit down. Riptide stumbled out of the booth, waved energetically back at Swerve one last time and then exited the bar. The new bot sat down across from him and Swerve had to look up to meet his optics because it was Blaster.

He must have been gaping at him because Blaster’s cheeks went magenta from all his energon rushing there and he scratched the back of his helm nervously before he spoke not meeting his gaze. “Oh hey Swerve. I uh, well I saw your ad in the newspaper and I thought I should give this a shot. I mean I know we haven’t talked much since everyone got back together after the mutiny but before that, before I made that mistake, we were friends right? And like that is how I prefer to start my relationships anyway is as friends first so uh here I am. This seemed like a great idea before I actually got here and now I’m slightly panicking that I’ve ruined our friendship. Oh Primus I’m rambling aren’t I?”

He most certainly was but Swerve didn’t really mind because it stopped him from rambling instead. Also everything he was saying was cute. This could actually work. He had a surprising amount of hope in how well this conversation was going when both of them were this nervous. Even though he hadn’t really said anything yet.

When he did speak it was brightly and with gusto. “You’re rambling a bit but I would have been too if I had been talking, in fact I’m probably about to ramble right back at you. I like being friends first too, in my relationships and in general, so that’s a good start. I know you love music as much as I do, who’s your favorite band, any planet? Oh and do you like earth cinema? I love it and since everyone started pooling their resources in the media database Rewind is putting together I’ve gotten a whole bunch of new material to watch. In fact I’ve been thinking of installing some screens and playing movies and music on a separate channel so folks can watch silently or with the sound separately or,”

 

Swerve stopped himself before Blaster could by clamping both is hands over his mouth. He ex-vented and then motioned for Blaster to speak, he paused for a second to gather his thoughts before he responded to all of Swerve’s questions. “Well that does sound like a cool a idea to have movies running in the background I think you should do it! If you want I can help you set up the separate frequency channels for the bar!”

 

“As for music I was really into Velocitronian Screech Metal before we left our home universe so I have a lot of that on file. And I do love earth cinema especially the French New Wave, Italian Grindhouse, and Japanese early 2000s horror. I’m also a fan of Camien opera and Carcerian stage plays. Although I’d be willing to try anything once as far a movies go. Is that something you’d be interested in? Maybe a movie night? Ah am I being too forward? I mean we can movie night as friends of course we can. Either is fine.”

Blaster was still having trouble looking at him when he was trying to speak and while that was endearing they might just both be too nervous to make this work right now. Swerve wasn’t in a hurry and Primus knew he could use more close friends. So that seemed like a good start. The whole French New cinema thing might actually be a deal breaker though, he couldn’t stand experimental stuff, he needed emotional drama and plot. On the bright side he should probably introduce Blaster to Whirl as their tastes in movies were almost identical. Who knew if that would work out, he was going to try at least. But he could see Misfire out of his peripheral vision trying to tell him his time was up already again.

He smiled gently at Blaster as he spoke. “Hey my friends who set this whole thing up, it was actually the Scavengers who wrote that ad can you believe it, are trying to tell me it’s time for my next um..date? But this was really nice and all I’d love to hang out again, maybe just as friends for now? If that’s alright with you? I for sure want to hang with you again soon. You know my hailing frequency and where I am most of the time. Don’t be a stranger.”

Blaster nodded and finally met his optics when he spoke. “Oh! Of course yes that sounds great. This was great um...thanks for letting me ramble at you though ahah. Ah well yes, goodbye I’ll com you soon for a movie night and I’ll definitely be by again soon.”

Blaster got up to leave and awkwardly tried to shake his hand before thinking better of it and fleeing the bar while mumbling “see you later.” Swerve didn’t know how it was possible but that bot had been even more nervous than he was.

He looked over to Misfire and Grimlock who were wiping down the bar in tandem and they both flashed him a thumbs up before his next “date” entered the bar. He was pretty sure his next date had stood him up because the bot that entered was Spinister. He was probably there to drink or hang out with Misfire and Grimlock. Swerve was shocked when he made his way over to sit across from him, taking up most of the other side of the booth. Neither of them spoke for probably too long because then they both started trying to speak over each other before Swerve stopped himself and motioned for Spinister to go first.

He cleared his vents quickly and then looked directly at Swerve. “I think minibots are hot.”

Swerve had not been expecting that and for once in his life he was actually speechless. When he simply stared at him in response the intimidatingly big bot continued. “Not just minibots in general but you specifically, you’re really handsome. I made Krok put that part in the ad, also I’m the one who came up with the ‘must love minibots’ bit.”

When Swerve was still gaping at him he continued. “Maybe that’s not enough stuff? Hm. I also like your taste in movies and listening to you do those complicated tongue twisters with Misfire. Oh and I thought of you when Grimlock had me construct an energon still cause we’re trying our hand at distilling nightmare fuel. We haven’t blown anything up yet but I told him we need to get you to try some before anyone else cause you’d know if it was good or not.”

Swerve had to clamp both hands over his mouth stop himself from shouting “Marry me!” aloud and he just barely stopped his cooling fans from bursting on.

Spinister was sexy. He had noticed that (who wouldn’t, the mech was tall, dark magenta, and handsome). He had also noticed he was faking being “mysterious” and not talking much to hide the fact that he didn’t often know what everyone around him was talking about. He was surprisingly good with his hands too. The Scavengers had often talked about Spinister’s almost mythical engineering abilities, especially how he had removed Fulcrum’s explosive charge when they first met him. Swerve had even heard Fortress Maximus praise him for finding a way to help reverse the wicked brain module tampering that had been done to some beastformers. If it wasn’t for his intimidating appearance he’d probably make a damn good medic. First Aid and Lotty were in charge of the medbay now that Ratchet had mostly-retired to bask in wedded bliss with his new conjunx, maybe the next time Lotty came in for a drink he would mention having Spinister help out in the medbay. He knew from their frequent movie nights that the Scavengers were all kinda bored as Minimus had yet to assign them shipwide duty shifts like the rest of the crew. That was how everyone measured time on the ship, in six work shift cycles because they didn’t have day and night in space really. He suspected the lack of work assignments was partly because Minimus had no idea what the Scavengers would be good at other than stealing stuff. Swerve was going to have to send him a com with some advice. He hoped Spinister wasn’t just hitting on him because there was nothing else to do. Because as shocked as he was he found himself interested in the other much larger bot as well.

He crossed his fingers under the table, took a quick invent, and rushed in. “Look Spinister I’m gonna be 100% honest with you here; I think you’re really fragging sexy but um... I’m not really a casual relationships type mech. I mean friendships sure! But when it comes to matters of the spark I’m looking for something serious, and if you’re not I totally understand and we can just be good friends with an awkward amount of sexual tension from now on it’ll be fine.”

Spinister’s red optics darkened as he looked directly into Swerve’s blue ones. “I understand where you’re coming from so I need you to know I’m not going ‘to hit it and quit it” as Brian O’Conner said in _2 Fast 2 Furious_. I’d like to court you Swerve, if you want me to.”

Swerve felt his spark stutter as he practically melted into the booth seat. He had actually gotten the Scavengers to watch all the _Fast and the Furious_ movies because they were a good blend of action and found family drama. He hadn’t realized Spinister had enjoyed them because he hadn’t really spoken much after them. Unlike the rest of the crew had when they argued about who was their favorite character and if anyone should have forgiven Shaw and let him join Dom’s crew after what he did to Han.

As it turned out he had been paying attention enough to quote it so that meant a lot to Swerve. He was trying to distract himself from everything else Spinister had just said because he was pretty sure his vocalizer would just release some sappy sighs and static. No one had ever wanted to court him before. Even though he had definitely wanted to court those other bots who didn't want him back, just his luck. Surprisingly this time it came way out of left field from a bot he knew and was friendly with but who was also the undeniably scary on brand Decepticon style of sexy. This could actually be...really great. Which was the most shocking part. He hardly ever got this lucky, in fact it was usually the opposite for him. And unless he said something in response to that soon he was going to watch Spinister leave him and both of them were going to be disappointed.

When he spoke he had to clear his vocalizer several times and his voice came out high and nervous. “Oh. Well then in that case uh yes, lets try courting. I’d like that yes, um good.”

He almost smacked his own forehead because of how dopey he sounded but Spinister’s optics lit up and Swerve was pretty sure he was smiling behind his battle mask when he spoke. “Oh good. I’m glad we both want to, and that’s the only way to go. Fulcrum and Krok were stressing how important it was that I didn’t try to strong arm you into anything. Which I wouldn’t! I can just seem..intense and I think none of us wanted me to frighten you.”

Swerve let out a relieved hum. Spinister was intimidating when he didn’t speak or glared ominously while speaking but during this entire exchange he had been nothing but mindful and attentive. Also surprisingly sweet.

Swerve was about to tell him how attractive he found that when Misfire and Grimlock sauntered up smugly to the table they were sitting at. Well it was mostly Misfire doing the smug sauntering but Grimlock was there as well.

Misfire smirked down at both of them. “Soooooo how’d it go Swerve? Find anyone you’d want to hit up for a second date?”

Wordlessly Spinister reached across the table and offered Swerve his hand palm up towards him. Swerve carefully placed his own in the bigger black one and smiled down at his chest as he felt Spinister’s hand close around his own. He gently rubbed his thumb along the side of it and Spinister mimicked the motion, rubbing his thumb on top of his red hand making Swerve blush this time. It was so sweet his spark was burning up his chest.

Misfire turned to face Grimlock smiling triumphantly. “See! What did I tell you! I knew they’d give it a shot. I noticed both of them had been checking each other out for weeks.”

Grimlock murmured agreement and then addressed Swerve and Spinister. “It wasn’t that I disagreed with Misfire on whether or not you two were compatible I just didn’t want either of you to get hurt, as you are my friends whom I care about.”

Misfire grabbed Grim’s arm and nuzzled his face into his shoulder excitedly as Swerve mouthed the word “whom?” and it was actually Spinister who spoke up. “I’m glad this worked out without anyone catching on fire or dying too but could you guys maybe give us just a little more time to talk?”

Both Misfire and Grimlock looked at each other knowingly before nodding. Misfire waved at the booth where they were seated and said. “Swerve, we will man the bar for as long as you can stand us, go on ahead and finish your date with Spinister. I swear I will not eavesdrop too much except to hear enough to com Krok and tell him how well it’s going and that he should totally advertise the personals section more in the main paper. While he stubbornly tells me he’s not working for the self same paper.”

With that both Grim and Misfire headed back to the bar and several more bots started to trickle in as the third duty shift was just getting over. Swerve looked back towards Spinister and felt his spark wobble as he was looking down at their clasped hands with affection in his optics. Swerve squeezed his hand a little and he gently squeezed back.

It was wonderful and he was going to say as much when Spinister interrupted him. “I miss doing this. Before the war I was a hugger and a high-fiver, sure sometimes I’d smash some kibble here or there but I enjoyed touching other folks in friendly manner. With the war on I only really touched some mech if I was going to murder them nastily. Although since I joined the Scavengers we have done a few group hugs which were nice.”

Swerve tried not to think too hard about the ‘murdering nastily” bit and instead focus on the fact that Spinister had just admitted he was handsy and physically affectionate because that was a big turn on for Swerve. To say he was touch starved would be putting it lightly.

He tried not to sound too excited when he spoke but he probably failed because Spinister’s engine revved a bit as his words. “Me too! I mean not so much the killing people with my bare hands thing, but definitely the friendly touch thing. This is great, you holding my hand bit, I’d be down to do more of this any time I don’t need both my hands.”

“And hey if you want to hug me that sounds nice too. And if I’m being honest the idea of you holding me or picking me up or even me sitting on your lap sounds so hot. Uh if that’s not too much? Is that too much too soon? Sorry.”

At the sound of Spinister’s engine rumbling Swerve felt his knees go a bit weak. And he stared fascinated as the other bot’s optics went wide with wonder. When he spoke it was low and a bit awed. “You’d really like all of that? I’ve wanted to do all those things to you, I have for a while now, but I didn’t want to embarrass or offend you during movie night. Would you like to sit on my lap now?”

Swerve wasn’t sure if he should but he definitely wanted to. And hey Spinister wanted him to too! So what if everyone in the bar turned to gawk at them when Swerve got up and climbed carefully into Spinister’s lap. So what if Misfire was currently smiling at them so brightly he could feel it on the side of his face like sunlight. So what if some of said bar patrons would probably tease him about this later, soooo what. He was sitting in Spinister’s lap and he was warm and big and all around him. Cradling him back against his chest with one arm while his motor practically purred beneath Swerve’s back. This was good. Really, really, good. And for a bit Swerve forgot all his worries and that was the best bit. Loosening up against the larger mech and letting him protect him from everything for a little while. He let his own engine thrum contentedly along with Spinister’s and when he looked up their optics met because he was looking down at Swerve happily.  

Swerve’s voice came out thick when he spoke but he was smiling wide. “We should do this at the next movie night. And hey maybe have our own um private movie night, just the two of us, without the rest of the Scavengers and also Riptide who I totally invited to our next Scavengers movie night.”

Spinister quirked a brow ridge at his last words but eventually nodded slowly. “Yeah I’d like that. Also we should have our own movie night alone because after about an hour and a half of holding you like this it's gonna make me want to face’ you a lot.”

He didn’t want to admit it but the sound he made at that admission was definitely a squeak or a yelp. And he hadn’t be able to hide it because he felt Spinister’s chest rumble with a chuckle behind him. Yup this was definitely going to work.

His hand wandered towards where Spinister’s was holding him against his chest and he threaded their fingers together shakily again while he mumbled. “Well since we’re being perfectly, startlingly candid with each other I probably wouldn’t last the whole hour and a half movie before I wanted you to um face’ me a lot.”

Spinister’s red optics burned into his as he rumbled. “S’ounds like a good date.”

Swerve laughed weakly while trying to ex-vent and failing a little. “Sounds like a great date actually when are you free next exactly?”

He might have wiggled against Spinister’s array panel a little. Well okay he was practically squirming now but also trying to be polite and mindful that they were still in public. At a bar he owned and operated. He was still technically at work.

Spinster leaned down and whispered in his audial. “Well I’m free right now. And technically all the time as none of us have been assigned crew duties yet but I think you’re still at work yes? I don’t want to distract you from that so maybe we should have a movie night...after the next shift set?”

Swerve very much wanted to tell Grimlock and Misfire to close _Swerve’s_ so he could...do a bunch of different fun and exciting things with Spinister instead. But the big beautiful magenta and purple bot was right he had a job and it was important he do it. No matter how warm and tempting the lap he was currently occupying was. Scrap. He was going to have to be very careful he didn’t fall madly in love with Spinister immediately and propose to him in the next few days, or hell during their ‘movie night’. Self control was something he had a love hate relationship with and this was going to prove...interesting.

He suddenly realized he had probably taken too long to respond. “Oh! Yeah after the next six shifts sounds perfect. I’d love to um host you at my habsuite, as you know I don’t have a roommate right now so we’ll have the whole place to ourselves, until I have to go back to work.”

Spinister chuckled in his audial at the last part and took his free hand not holding Swerve’s to stroke along the side of his face lightly as he murmured against him. “Sounds perfect, the part about having the suite to ourselves for 12 hours not the part about you living alone, I hope we can change that soon.”

Swerve shivered in his lap as Spinister stroked his hand absently down the side of his face and neck. Oh frag. Oh scarp. Oh Primus damnit. He was going to be one of those bots who showed up with a trailer full of his stuff ready to move in on the second date. It didn’t help that Spinister seemed to be encouraging that part of him that wanted to rush in. If he had been paying more attention to the words instead of how nice being stroked and held felt right now he might be jumping for joy. He’d never had anything other than a one-sided crush but this was something else entirely. Spinister was actively expressing how much he liked and desired Swerve and it looked like Swerve was going to have to be the one to make sure they were taking it slow. Which...wasn’t going to happen.

Well if they were doing this he might as well go all in. He reached up with his free hand and stroked Spinister’s face while smiling goofily. “Oh wow, yeah, um, yes I’d like that too. I mean first you should um, probably decide if you like our ‘movie night’ but yeah if you do, if you want to, that would be great.”

Instead of responding Spinister bumped their two foreheads together and stayed there for a beat before ex-venting contentedly. They stayed like that for a couple more minutes before Swerve finally gave into responsibility.

He carefully disengaged their hands which he had been holding over his chest and moved a little bit to scoot out of Spinister’s lap. “As wonderful and great as this is, and just let me say this is very, impressively, awesome, I have to get back to work. But believe me when I say I can’t wait for our date. It’s all I’m going to be thinking about for the next shift cycle let me tell you. I’ll see you then after fourth shift? I’ll have Riptide close it up after sixth shift.”

Spinster let Swerve disengage and climb down out of his lap and then smiled down at the minibot. “Sounds good to me, and likewise. You’ll be the only thing I’m thinking of later when I’m alone. And until we meet again.”

Swerve knew he was blushing as he watched Spinister gracefully unfold himself from where he was sitting in the booth and slinkily make his way out of the bar. He stood there watching him go for a few beats before swinging around on his heel and quickly walking back to the bar to hide the fact that his array modesty panel was embarrassingly loose right now.

When he stiffly took his place behind the bar Misfire slapped his shoulder and crowed triumphantly. “Oh Grimsy that went better than we could have ever hoped! You two were so cute canoodling over there like that it almost rusted my teeth out it was so sweet.”

Swerve was grinning now and not really paying attention to his words as he remembered how protective and warm that embrace had felt. He spoke dreamily. “Yeah that was mind blowingly sweet, especially the part where both of us agreed that if we sat like that for too long we’d end up interfacing each other into the booth.”

 

Misfire let out a surprised gasp and Grimlock snorted before his conjunx swatted him on the arm and turned to Swerve brow raised. “Oh? So that’s how it is then, you two are just going to have a casual sexual thing going?”

 

That snapped Swerve out of his hazy thoughts and he got a serious look on his face before he turned to Misfire. “No. No we agreed to court each other formally actually. It’s something I’ve never actually done before but oddly enough I’m not super worried, well not yet. It’s what we both wanted and it’s how we started that conversation, the sexy part came later and we agreed to meet up for a date again after the next set of six shifts.”

 

Misfire relaxed a little and looked at him with a pleased smile. “Oh good because I didn’t want to have to shoot you for breaking Spinister’s spark or cut off his arms for touching you without consent excetera. It’s always best when everybody is on the same page. Just know we’re all rooting for you two as Spinister has had a crush on you since he first saw you bartend here. But you’ll have to ask him about that, and his competency kink, later on your date.”

 

With that Misfire linked his arm with Grimlock’s and started to steer them both out of the bar. Grimlock turned around at the last minute to rumble “goodluck” at Swerve before they both left him alone with his thoughts, and the three bar patrons who were avoiding his gaze and staring into their drinks. The next Scavenger’s movie night was going to be...an adventure. But really the only movie night he was thinking about was the one he was going to have with Spinister both too soon and not soon enough.


	2. Bonus Smut: And Feelings!!??

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Spinister has a monster mouth like Cyclonus lol!! This is just smut, well mostly there's also some cute feelings! Annndd if ya'll like this I'm gonna be posting some more fics in this same universe and there will definitely be more of this rarepair in it lol. Also if you want more Transformers content (art, crying, etc) and fic WIPS and stuff I'm @ BasilBing on Twitter.

They had been on a couple dates now. 

More than one of those had been a “movie night” and Swerve was both extremely satisfied, sexually, sexually satisfied, and worried. 

Spinister was a very attentive lover, and they had discussed him moving in with Swerve soon, but they still hadn’t kissed. Which wasn’t the end of the word, not all bots had lips after all, poor Tailgate. But it was something Swerve had enjoyed doing before and he’d very much like to do again, especially with the big purple and magenta bot. They had been surprisingly good at communicating and neither one had been off put by this new brutal honesty. It was something Swerve was not used to, he was usually the one oversharing but now he had a partner who openly admitted when he wanted to hold him, while they were in public, surrounded by lots of other bots. 

It was intoxicating him more than the bootleg nightmare fuel Grimlock and Spinister were insisting he drink with them. Oh it was pretty good, not quite a roundhouse kick to the processor as true nightmare fuel alas. And honestly Swerve felt more far gone when Spinister was pounding him face first into his berth. He might actually tell him that when they were back in his hab later.

For right now both mechs were looking at him expecting his review on their home brew.

He cleared his vocalizer and then gave them a thumbs up. “Hey guys this is pretty good! It doesn’t knock your teeth out like a first shot of real nightmare fuel does but it’s still pretty good. I could definitely sell this under another name. Let me know what you want to call it and we’ll work out a delivery and payment schedule.”

Both of the bigger bots looked at each other excitedly and they actually high fived. Swerve chuckled as they each poured a shot of the off brand fuel and slammed it. To his shock and awe they both started to babble back and forth about how to make minor filtration improvements and to clarify the purity of the delineation and such. The two least talkative bots he knew and here there were happily chatting about energon stills back and forth.

Spinister seemed to remember he was there because he quickly rounded on Swerve his optics glowing. “I’m so glad you liked it. I see what you mean about the potency and we can work on that. Should we go back to your hab now?”

Swerve had to stop himself from shouting “Hell Yeah!” because that was becoming harder to do for some reason? Maybe this new fuel had kind of a delayed reaction. So instead of shouting he nodded enthusiastically and got up to leave. His head only swam a little bit as he tried to follow Spinister down the hall.

The bigger bot must have noticed him struggling because he slowed his pace and looked back at Swerve with concern. “Hey babe how’re you doing? Do you want me to carry you back?”

Swerve was definitely more affected than he had been earlier so he couldn’t really stop the goofy smile from spreading over his face when he responded. “I love it when you call me that. Also sure, I seem to be experiencing.....um technical difficulties. Oh! I have a name for that new fuel! Delayed gratification. Cause uh...it definitely hitting me harder now.”

Swerve, to his own embarrassment, couldn’t stop giggling after saying that last part. Spinister chuckled as he picked Swerve up and cradled him to his chest and walked back briskly towards their almost shared habsuite. Swerve happily snuggled in against his chest and his engine hummed in contentment. When they got back to his room Spinister carefully laid him down on his recharge slab and went about tucking him in and trying to make him comfortable.

Swerve waved off fussing over him and said. “I’m fine, really I’m not that drunk, come here. I want to kiss you.”

Spinister started to lean down at his tugging on his chest but froze at the last phrase. He seemed to be concentrating very hard on whatever he was thinking because Swerve could actually here his gears clicking.

He spoke very carefully and quietly. “I want to kiss you as well but I have been avoiding it because of my face. It’s uh, not exactly as nice as the rest of me.”

Swerve did not care.

He’d seen plenty of bots with war scarred faces and he was madly in love with Spinister so he’d enjoy his face any which way.

Scrap. He was madly in love with Spinister.

Letting that thought float right over his head Swerve smiled dreamily and reached up to run his red fingers along Spinister’s black battle mask. “I’m not worried. All of you is amazing. I want to kiss you because I want to kiss _all of you_ , you know?”

Okay he was definitely still kinda buzzed but he meant it and Spinister could tell. His optics glowed warmly as he spoke. “Alright but don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

His battle mask slid back to reveal the rest of his face.

It was not what Swerve had been expecting, his cheeks were hollow and you could see his teeth reaching back through them, he smiled and his long bright silver tongue darted out one side, his mouth practically dripping oral lubricant through the holes in cheeks.

_Oh._

Swerve’s array panel popped open with a loud click and both him and Spinister looked down at it in disbelief for a second before he felt his face heat up with energon.

He laughed weakly. “I uh, really, reallllyyy like your mouth. Just like the rest of you. Can I kiss you please.”

Spinister’s engine roared in response as he swooped down to kiss him. That long silver tongue licked over his lips and Swerve moaned at the sensation. He reached up and wrapped his arms around Spinister’s neck and pulled his head closed to deepen the kiss. Spinister greedily slid that wonderful tongue over his own and Swerve couldn’t stop the noises his vocalizer and engine were sputtering. Spinister growled in response and slid his fingers teasingly around the rim of Swerve’s valve while he kissed him mercilessly.

He wanted that penetration, wanted everything. “Please, please? Please Spinister I need it, I’ll beg, do you need me to beg? Hng please put your fingers inside, of, oh frag.”

Spinister grinned, his long tongue writhing in those empty cheeks, he obliged and pushed two fingers into him. He yelped as Spinister fucked him lightly with those fingers, just barely grazing the sensitive nodes inside his valve. He stopped after a few gentle thrusts and Swerve watched in awe as his nimble tongue wrapped around his now dripping fingers and licked them clean of Swerve’s transfluid. He almost overloaded at the the sight and definitely bucked under Spinister’s hips when he heard the bigger bot purr “You taste so good.”

He was too far gone he didn’t even know what he was saying before it came out of his vocalizer. “I want to sit on your face.”

Spinister’s red optics flared at they met his and he murmured. “I like it when you tell me what to do, and when you describe what I’m doing to you as I do it, it helps me focus but also it’s really slagging hot.”

Swerve was pretty sure his head was gonna fall right off with how hard he nodded in agreement before babbling. “Oh. Oh yeah I can do that, at least for a little while but uh Spinister, baby, um I’m not gonna be super coherent I might just um be making noises if you keep this up.”

Spinister held his gaze as he gently placed his hands under Swerve’s aft and lifted his hips towards his waiting, now actually dripping maw. “Sounds are good too. Sounds help me know when you feel amazing.”

Swerve whimpered as Spinister picked him the rest of the way up off the berth, looped his hands up around Swerve’s shoulders and smashed his array into his face. This hadn’t exactly been what Swerve had had in mind, he had no way to use gravity and friction and was basically at the mercy of Spinister’s lips and tongue.

He wrapped his legs around his neck and moaned at the sound of Spinister's spike casing retracting. This was good too, oh Primus was this good. He felt that tongue swirling around his anterior node and he moaned.

Swerve then momentarily remembered he was supposed to be talking and tried. “Spinisterrrr, that, your tongue, it is um, so good good, fuck. Please don’t stop.”

Spinister’s engine roared and the vibrations made Swerve stutter and his hips grind down against his face hard enough to transfer paint. That deliciously long tongue pushed past the first calipers into his valve and Swerve yelled a bunch of nonsense syllables as his vocalizer shorted out. He didn’t know what do with his hands, he definitely wanted to shove one in his mouth to bit down on but Spinister had said he wanted to hear him. So instead he took hold of the black chevron on Spinister’s head with one hand and the other found his own fully pressurized spike.

Swerve gasped as Spinister’s red optics flicked up to watch his hand rub and squeeze his own spike all the while that tongue writhed and sucked inside him. It only took a few more pumps before he overloaded hard screaming Spinister’s name, light blue transfluid squirting from his spike and valve, electricity crackling up and down his whole frame and onto Spinister’s face. He offlined his optics but he could still feel that hollowed out mouth greedily lapping up all his transfluid. His whole body felt warm and completely limp. He was ex-venting weakly when Spinister gently lowered him back down onto the berth.

He started to move away like he was going to clean Swerve up and stop but they weren’t done yet. Swerve grabbed his wrist. “Hey, hey. That was...incredible. But you didn’t overload and I want you to have an amazing time like I just did. Do you want to spike me? Your tongue in me was, another level type mind blowing don't get me wrong, but I do still want to take all of that incredible spike you’re packing.”

He trailed his hand lightly up Spinister’s thigh towards his rather large spike. Spinister bit his lip and looked slightly embarrassed when he spoke. “That was...you taste...like the best damn high grade I’ve ever had, I could do that forever if you’d let me. And I know you wanted me to spike you but uh, I was kinda hoping maybe you could spike me? Watching you touch yourself with my mouth on you like that was...my valve is so wet Swerve.”

His valve panel slid back with a wet snick as a stream of pink transfluid sluiced out his puffy valve folds down his purple thighs. Swerve’s spark sputtered and ached. Because, _yes Yes YES_! But also he was a liquid-limbed exhausted mess right now. He was worried he wouldn’t give his, hmm best performance at the moment. And Spinister deserved the best, always.

He cringed. “I want to, believe me, but um you’ve kinda reduced me to a strutless mess at the moment, I’m afraid I wouldn’t be able to give you what your need and that’s not acceptable.”

Spinister looked momentarily disappointed but then his optics lit up as he smiled with far too many jagged teeth visible in his cheeks. “Oh! What if I rode you? That would work right?”

Swerve’s engine whined in response. “Frag yes! Here help prop me up against the wall. You’ll have to set the pace but uh this will work, yes let’s do it!”

He sat up carefully as his HUD whined some warnings about overcharging at him before Spinister helped him scoot his back against the wall on one side of his berth.

Swerve watched in awe as Spinister straddled his hips and rubbed his slick valve folds against his still pressurized red and white spike. He let out some garbled moans and static as he watched him sink down fully onto his spike. The inside of his valve was wet and warm and already gripping him hard. Swerve’s hands flew to his hips as he started to move, sliding slowly up and down, Spinister's whole frame was shaking and he was venting hard.

It was the most beautiful sight he had ever seen in his life. Which was saying something as he had watched Blurr race and win the Tetrahex 900.

He might have been at a loss for words but he knew Spinister loved the encouragement so he tried. “Spinisterrrrr...you’re so beautiful and powerful, Primus. You feel so incredible on me, against me, I am, so lucky, so so uh hot hng, looking at you, I’m.”

Spinister’s slow grinding movements stuttered faster as he braced his arms against the wall on either side of Swerve and started to slam down on Swerve’s spike, his whole frame practically vibrating around him. With Spinister pressed on and up against him like this he noticed his hard and heavy spike was almost mouth level with him. As he rose up, riding his spike, his own spike was within his reach if he just craned his neck down a little.

Swerve took Spinister’s spike with with both hands on the next up stroke and licked the full tip of his magenta and black spike. The much bigger bot let out a loud groan that became as static keen, his spike being licked and rubbed as he impaled his valve on Swerve’s length. Swerve was able to get the whole head of his spike in mouth on the next thrust and Spinister screamed as he overloaded down Swerves throat, the calipers in his valve cycling down to a burning hot point on his spike. Swerve overloaded again this time yelling at the sparks that danced between them and fritzed out his optics. Spinister’s pink transfluid dribbled down his chin as he couldn’t swallow it all, his spike practically melting as he spilled into the warm clench of his valve.

They were both venting heavily, Spinister’s valve was still shaking around his now rapidly depressurizing spike as Swerve tried to lick and swallow Spinister’s transfluid off his spike and his own chin. Swerve stopped when he felt a large hand under his chin pushing his face up to look at Spinister who was leaning over him, face close.

His optics were fond and he was smiling as gently as his hollowed out cheeks and sharp teeth would let him. “I was waiting for the right to time to say this but since that was the best frag I’ve ever had in my life now is probably a great time, I love you Swerve.”

Swerve gasped and then cycled that sentence through his brain module several times and saved the audio. He wanted to listen to it over and over again just to make sure it was real and he had heard it.

Now was probably a great time to admit he loved him too, he knew he was gonna frag it up but he was gonna say it anyway! “I’m gonna have to be honest with you but all the interfacing I’ve been doing is the best sex I’ve ever had so like that isn’t the main motivating factor behind this. I love you too. Have since our first date! And hey since we’re being sappy and honest I really want to move in with you. Do you want to?”

Spinister chuckled and shuddered as he carefully slid off of Swerve’s spike and then fell back onto the berth pulling Swerve to lay on top of him. The wriggled a little against each other to get comfortable and when Spinister spoke his voice was a loud comforting rumble beneath Swerve’s head. “I was actually starting to worry you weren’t going to ask me but I’m glad you did. The answer is yes by the way. I don’t have much in the way of stuff to move, we’re keeping the still in the basement overflow brig after all, just knowing you want me here with you is enough.”

Swerve looked up to see Spinister was gazing down at him sappily and his spark practically jumped out his throat as he whispered. “Marry me?”

Spinister’s red optics went almost completely round at that, his mouth making a small ‘oh’ and hey Swerve hadn’t meant to ask quiteee so soon, or without a grand declaration of love first, but he did mean it. 

He wanted to spend the rest of his life like this, feeling like this, being held and loved and cherished like this. It felt like he was finally alive after 4 million years of death and lonely drudge. He was pretty sure this is why so many bots on the  _ Lost Light _ had been declaring conjunx endurae with each other left and right. They all felt alive for the first time in so long. Alive and in love.

Swerve was only slightly afraid Spinister wouldn’t want to, okay more than slightly, now that he said it he was worried he wouldn’t want to be his conjunx. Old habits were hard to break and he was pretty sure he'd never stop fretting over scrap. 

He needn’t have worried.

Spinister’s brilliant smile almost split his face in two. “Yes! I was kinda hoping to be the one to ask over a nice energon goody dinner and some mood lighting, but yes! And we can still do the nice dinner and I can propose this time right?”

Swerve’s smile was also massive as he scoffed. “What being exhausted after multiple overloads and covered in each other’s elicit fluids isn’t romantic enough for you? I am kidding of course, and would be thrilled if you proposed to me pretty much any time in any situation. Like please keep telling me you want to spend the rest of your life me.”

Spinister ducked his head down and kissed Swerve’s forehead as his deep voice rumbled against Swerve’s back. “I love you. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I want to hold you and kiss you and frag you senseless as many times as both of us can handle every single day. Sound good?”

It sounded like happily ever after, it sounded fantastic, it sounded like something he never thought he’d ever get and he was so so ready. “Sounds perfect. This is perfect, you’re perfect. Please kiss me?”

Spinister chuckled and happily complied. Swerve was going to get to live like this, everyday, all the time. And he wasn’t ashamed to admit that this was the happiest he’d ever been. Both of them were happy for the first time in ages.

And that would make all the Scavengers happy as well, not that they weren’t enjoying their various relationships. Grimlock and Misfire were conjunx, Nickel was “rolling” with Roller, Crankcase and Cons4Eva were declaring their union in some sort of weird Dire Wraith ceremony soon, and Krok and Fulcrum were still acting like they’d been married several thousand years without actually making it official. And now him and Spinister.

He sighed contentedly as they continued to kiss each other lightly and lazily. His next shift was in two hours so he really should have been recharging but this was worth it. Spinister was worth it.

Spinister broke their languid makeout session to murmur. “Hey don’t you have to go on shift soon? We should recharge for bit.”

He was being the responsible one which was cute but Swerve very much wanted to cuddle and kiss and bask in the afterglow of their new relationship status.

He vented in a light huff. “I know but I want to savor this and I bet if I comm’d Riptide he could open the bar and Misfire and Grim could man it for a little while for me. Especially if I told them I was celebrating getting engaged with my new conjunx.”

He said that last part as he traced his fingers in the transformation seems along Spinister’s chest. Swerve felt him shiver underneath him and grinned cheekily as he let his fingers wander and caress his plating lightly.

When Spinister spoke there was a slight wobble in his vocalizer. “You would put off work for me? I’m honored and unfortunately exhausted. As much as I would like kiss you till you have to go back to work and spike you for the first time as your conjunx. I'd prefer to do it with a full tank and full charge because we’re gonna be a while, a long while.”

Frag it he was right.

Swerve wanted all those things and he was going to have to wait till after his next few shifts at the earliest. He groaned. “Finnneeeeeee. You’re right and I hate it but lets recharge. When I wake up it’ll be to my new conjunx holding me and that’s nothing to scoff at in and of itself.”

Spinister’s engine revved resonantly as he smiled and pecked Swerve on the lips before getting up to go to the wash rack. He cleaned them both up carefully and then crawled back into their warm shared berth. They both fell into recharge holding each other. Swerve could definitely do this everyday for the rest of his life.

And he was going to get to.

To say he was elated would have been an understatement. As he drifted off into a deep recharge he smiled at the thought of what Misfire and the rest of the Scavengers were going to say. He knew for sure they were going to throw one hell of party at Swerve’s, free drinks for everyone! Well maybe just the first round free, he was still trying to run a business after all. And with that thought he fell into the best sleep of his life.

 


End file.
